Do you Believe?

Wheeling Jesuit University asks the public to support today’s students by participating in the 2005-06 Annual Fund Campaign to show belief in education for life, leadership and service. After half a century of providing a quality Jesuit education, enjoying phenomenal growth from a community of faithful learners to an institution of national prominence, Wheeling Jesuit University is working hard to stay on top for the next 50 years.

The Annual Fund allows the University to position itself to meet challenges and opportunities as it provides this education and meets the need for quality education in the region it serves. The objectives of this year’s campaign are to increase the percentage of alumni who financially support the University and to increase the amount of gifts given to support of today’s students.

“A private and selective post-secondary education brings with it a responsibility for alumni and friends who believe in the institution’s mission and vision to support it. Wheeling Jesuit is a self-perpetuating institution, and its financial health is only assured by the generous gifts of alumni and friends who believe in our traditions,” said Brent A. Bush, vice-president for institutional advancement. “When the telephone rings during the phonathon, we hope alumni will welcome our student callers, who are future alumnae, and give generously in support of them! The 2005-06 campaign is based on the simple concept of "Believe" and features photos of current Wheeling Jesuit students.

Backed by a colorful marketing piece, the Believe Campaign will be evident across the WJU community in mid-October. Alumni should anticipate regular mail, e-mail and telephone calls as WJU's advancement team works to get the news out about this year's annual fund drive.

“We have much to celebrate at WJU, and we want our alumni to feel a sense of pride and ownership in the reputation we are developing domestically and internationally,” said Bush.

According to Rev. Joseph R. Hacala, S.J., "During our 2004-05 fiscal year, we received almost four thousand gifts in support of the University. These gifts totaled approximately $3.1 million of which $1.6 million were unrestricted gifts to The WJU Annual Fund. While we were humbled by this support, we must now begin to position ourselves to meet the challenges and opportunities of the next half century. Every dollar, and every gift, is important, and each represents a belief in the students who are impacted by your gift."

As the youngest of the 28 American Jesuit colleges and universities, Wheeling Jesuit University has to work hard to reach the heights that so many of our sister institutions already realize.

“By giving to The WJU Annual Fund, you are united with all Jesuit universities who are crucial institutions in America, providing social advancement to students and a viable setting for public debate that daily shapes our nation's future,” added Bush.

Wheeling Jesuit University integrates the Jesuit traditions of intellectual excellence with the best of advanced technology to educate students for life, for leadership, and for service with and among others. U.S.News & World Report ranks Wheeling Jesuit University 17th in the "Best Master's Universities in the South," making it the highest ranked institution in West Virginia and the Ohio Valley for nine consecutive years. Wheeling Jesuit--the only Catholic institution of higher education in West Virginia--offers more than 30 undergraduate programs of study and six graduate degrees to about 1,500 students each year. It has a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1, and 18 intercollegiate NCAA Division II athletic teams. The 65-acre campus located in Wheeling, W.Va., includes 15 modern buildings, multi-million dollar Acker Science Center, and residence halls, and a modern recreation and athletic facility that includes a soccer/track and field complex. The campus is home to the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center, the Erma Ora Byrd Center for Educational Technologies, a Challenger Learning Center and the Clifford M. Lewis Appalachian Institute.